A Moral Dilema
by Pobodys Nerfekt
Summary: In which Blake has a small introspective crisis and Ruby is there to help her every step of the way with multiple kinds of warmth (shoutout to seeyouguyslater on tumblr for the idea. You a real one.)


**For all intents and purposes my next upload would have been another installment of Tiger of the Periphery (the one with Reese and Emerald), but college had me distracted and I didn't have time to write. Then Grey (seeyouguyslater on tumblr) was talking about some thoughts running through their head on the ladybug discord server and I saw one of them and I said, in my best Bill Wurtz impression, "You could make a fic out of that." So I did. This is that fic.**

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"Ruby... please be honest with me." Ruby could tell by the shakiness of Blake's voice, if the tremors in the midst of the faunus' sleep that caused Ruby to wake up (she isn't as heavy of a sleeper as some may think) and subsequently rescue Blake from whatever nightmare she was trapped in the middle of did not already, that there was a serious concern about to be brought up. Ruby mentally prepared herself and internally took a breath before responding to Blake.

"Of course I will." Ruby answered, keeping her voice quiet as to not wake the other half of the team. Blake looked conflicted, as if what she was considering saying would do the inverse of what she believed it might do. Ruby was content to let her significant other take as much time as she needed to gather her thoughts. Eventually, Blake looked back up to Ruby, eyes showing a great deal of internal conflict.

"Am I... am I a bad person?" Blake managed to ask Ruby. The rose was tempted to quickly respond with something that refuted that statement because of _course_ Blake wasn't a bad person. They wouldn't have gotten to this point if she was, but Ruby felt a small portion of fear in taking that route because it might not be what helps at this moment. Instead, the team leader decided to play it safe and save the massive levels of affection for later. However before Ruby could get a word out, Blake added a continuation to her earlier question.

"Because... how else can I explain these night terrors?" That combined with the fact that Blake looked like she was about to start crying again did it for Ruby. Throwing caution out the window, Ruby took Blake into a tight hug, making sure to show through it how much care she held for Blake and that she would always be there to help deal with these kinds of incidents. Ruby heard the metaphorical dam break before she felt the liquid on her shoulder, Blake holding onto her girlfriend like a life preserver in the midst of a monsoon. Ruby did what she could from her position, gently rubbing Blake's back and whispering reassurances and support into her ear.

"I'm scared Ruby." Blake whispered in a broken voice, starting to calm back down from her bout of tears. It was then Ruby had an idea suddenly come to her. After all, if it worked for her when she had nightmares about Beacon, why wouldn't it work for the cat in her arms?

"I know Blake." Ruby started, leaning back so she could look at her teammate's face. "I know how badly these can scare a person. You aren't the only one with a past that haunts them to this day after all, but I think I have a solution to help you out." Ruby stood up and Blake followed, now curious to know what her rosebud has in store for her. Taking a small step back and replacing the hug with a simple handhold, Ruby quietly slips out the bedroom door with Blake in tow. Luckily for them nobody else was roaming the halls of the Atlas academy dorms and eventually Blake found herself at the shared kitchen of the floor, causing Blake to have a good guess as to what Ruby's genius plan was to help her out.

"Just so I don't make a wrong assumption in the future, what kind of tea do you want?" Ruby asks, releasing her hold on Blake's hand to check the electric kettle, turning it on after confirming there was enough water in the device.

"Preferably chamomile, but if they have either peppermint or lavender those will do." Blake answers, feeling a smile come to her face. _What did I do to deserve her?_ Blake wonders to herself, but knowing her rosebud the answer would be "do you want that listed alphabetically or numerically?" Giving an affirmative hum, Ruby searches the cabinets for packets of tea, eventually managing to locate a packet of chamomile and placing it next to a mug she had taken out earlier before moving to a different cabinet. Inside, she found the special brew she had placed there before the sun went down and retrieved a packet, moving back to the pair of mugs on the counter and pouring the contents of her packet into the mug. When she turned around, she saw Blake watching her, currently sporting a curious look on her face, which prompted Ruby to come over and show Blake what she was making for herself.

"Apple cider? I honestly would have figured you would go for a warm glass of milk or hot chocolate in this instance." Blake told her, intrigued by her choice of drink.

"Just because I am a fiend for chocolate products does not mean that I can't appreciate one of the greatest non-chocolate drinks on the face of Remnant." was Ruby's response, throwing away the packet and waiting for the kettle to click. It was a respectable response Blake decided, watching as Ruby hoisted herself onto the counter top. Of course not even ten seconds later the electric kettle's switch clicked, notifying the black and red duo that the water was done boiling, much to Ruby's displeasure, muttering that she was about to get comfortable on the counter, something that amused Blake. Sliding back to the floor, Ruby retrieved the kettle full of now-boiling water and filled the two mugs next to it, the contents causing the water to change colors. After stirring the now flavored water with a nearby spoon, the team leader returned to Blake's side, mug in each hand, and passes the one with tea in it to the faunus. After taking the chair next to Blake, Ruby goes to take a test sip of her drink, but swiftly pulls back and places the mug on the table before her.

"You might want to give your drink a couple of minutes. Its uh... probably still hot." Ruby warns, leaning closer to her mug and blowing on her drink to try and help it cool down quicker.

"Well was your cider at least good before you tried to burn the roof of your mouth?" Blake asked, almost teasingly in tone. Ruby responded by pouting at her teammate, speaking under her breath that it was only one time. Maybe two if she was lucky. By this point Blake had all but forgotten the reason she and Ruby were out here drinking tea and hot cider respectively at some point in time past midnight.

"Oh and I have an answer to your earlier question while we wait for these things to cool off." Evidently Ruby had not forgotten, which caused Blake to remember her... moment earlier. Taking a small breath to steady herself, Blake shifted to fully face Ruby, who in turn took both of Blake's hands into hers.

"I don't remember a whole lot about my mom before she fell off the face of Remnant." Ruby starts, maintaining eye contact with Blake. "But I do remember one thing she told me that has been a part of my moral compass, and that thing was that we all make mistakes." Blake lets out a small chuckle at that statement, to which Ruby gives her a look that tells her that Ruby is trying to be serious for once.

"I'll be honest, I kind of expected something else that wasn't everyone makes mistakes." Blake explains.

"Fair enough I guess." Ruby admits. "But that doesn't change the sentiment I am going for. Yeah some of the stuff that has happened in your past has uh... been a little bigger than a few mistakes, but you never let that stop you. If anything it served as a motivator for you to better yourself, and look where you are now! You're part of a team of huntresses that kicks all kinds of butt, a strong group of friends, and plenty of support to turn to and..." Ruby trails off for a moment before pulling her hands, still holding Blake's, backwards, pulling the cat faunus closer so Ruby could hold Blake closer to herself. "You have a loving girlfriend who is always going to be right beside you, regardless of what the world throws at us next. So I guess what I am going for here is that you aren't a bad person and you shouldn't think of yourself as such when all the evidence that proves otherwise is staring you right in the face." Concluding her little monologue, Ruby presses a kiss to Blake's head, right between her cat ears, who in turn wraps her arms around Ruby's midsection, and the two are content to stay in that position for a while. However the silence was not quite meant to be.

"As touching and heartfelt as that was, not to be the bearer of bad news or anything, but I think our drinks should be sufficiently cooled by now." Blake told Ruby, whose eyes widened at Blake's statement, as she had gotten completely caught up in her monologue that she forgot about her cider and Blake's tea.

"My bad Blake. I was a little caught up in other matters." Ruby said a little sheepishly, helping Blake back up to the chair she was using. Blake nodded in understanding, taking a sip of her tea and thanking the powers that be that it was not lukewarm. Ruby looked on, content with a job well done and the knowledge that she could firmly back up everything she told Blake tonight. _Bring it on Salem. We're ready for anything_.

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**Because I don't know the definition of a consistent upload schedule, I have no idea when the next literary piece from yours truly is going to be uploaded. At the time of writing it is finals week and I already got one finished. Only three to go, then after that maybe I will have more time to write, but with the way my head works who knows when I am going to upload next. Certainly not me. Until next time then.**


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